Method and apparatus for making pies



Marchv 2, `1943- l.. J. HARRlss ETAL 2,312,814

METHOD AND APPARATUS FORv MAKING PIES u Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 D @i l INVENTOR Lloyd J Haz/m65 BY Bef ma March 2 1943 L J. HARRlss Erm.

METHOD -AND vAPPARATUS FOR MAKING PIES Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Iliff/I6 l INNR. ZoydJHczf/a Beam y AMM] Lambens Patented Mar. 2, 1943 METHOD ANDl APPIlRlTUS FOB MAKING IE Lloyd J. Harriss, Kenilworth, and Bernard Lambers, Oak Park, Ill.; said Lambers assignor to said Harriss Application May 16, 1941, Serial No. 393,737

(Cl. V-54) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making pies and more particularly to a method and apparatus for applying a predetermined amount of water, or other moistening liquid, to a pie crust at a predetermined time.

The present invention is especially concerned with the moistening of a pie crust prior to baking and while the pie crust is being carried in a pie pan on a conveyor system. It is well known to apply water to unbaked pie crusts by means of a brush, or other suitable utensil. However, it is important that just the right amount of water be applied, hence the need for the present invention.

One of the objects of the invention is to insure that just the right amount of moisture is applied to the surface of a pie crust.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for quantitatively measuring and predetermining the amount of water to be applied to a pie crust, together with apparatus for applying the exact amount of water at the proper rate and at the proper time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having means for varying the amount of water applied in accordance with varying conditions of use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanye ing drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents an elevational view, partly in section, of one form of apparatus for practicing the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 represents an enlarged View, partly in section, of one portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and

. Figure 4 represents an enlarged detailed view, partly in section, of another portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

The apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a tank or vessel 2 containing water 4, or other moistening liquid. The tank 2 is supported on a frame 6. Attached to the upper part of the frame 6 is an L-shaped member 8 which extends upwardly and forms a fulcrum at point I8 for an arm I2. The arm l2 is connected by any suitable connecting means at point I2 with a plunger element I6. The other end of the arm I2 is connected at point I8 to a shaft 28 which is reciprocably driven through a connection 22 to a driving element 24. The connection is eected by the projecting arm 26 of the connecting element engaging in a slot 28 of the driving element. The stroke of the drive shaft 20 is regulated by means of a set screw 38 which may be set in a predetermined position in the slot 28 and thereby govern the distance that the arm 26 may move away from the center 32 of the driving element 24. It will be apparent that when the arm 26 is at the center of the driving element 24, that is to say, at point 32, no reciprocating motion will be imparted to the shaft 28. As the arm 26 is permitted to move farther and farther away from the center 32, the amount of reciprocating motion imparted to the shaft 28 becomes greater and greater and is only limited by the length of the slot 28 and the setting of set screw 88. The driving element 24 is provided withv a bevel gear 34 which meshes with another bevel gear 36 mounted on the shaft 38. The bevel gear 36 is fixed to the shaft 38 by means of the set screw 48. The shaft 38 is supported from the frame 6 by supporting elements 42 and 44. On thev lower end of the shaft 38 is fixed a bevel gear 46 which engages with another bevel gear 48 fixed to a drive shaft 58 driven by a motor or any other suitable driving means. The upper end of the shaft 38 is provided with a sprocket 62 which is Xed to the shaft 38 and engages with a chain 54.

The chain 64 is drivingly engaged with another sprocket at point 56 associated or fixed to a hollow shaft 58. Through the hollow shaft 58 runs a water line 88. At the upper end of the hollow shaft 58 is provided a stuffing box V62, as more clearly shown in Figure 4. The hollow shaft 58 is supported by a fixed hub 64 riveted, or otherwise attached beneath the frame 6. Ball bearings 65, as shown in Figure 4, are preferably provided to assist in the rotation of the shaft 58 within the hub 64. The hub 64 may be packed with grease or other lubricant. The lower part of the shaft 58 is provided with a flanged element 66 to which is attached an arm 68 carrying a brush 78. As shown, the water line 68 passes through shaft 58 to a well 51 from which there is a channel in the anged element 66 and the arm 68 to the upper part of the brush 18. The brush 18 may be of any suitable type having bristles for permitting the water to flow downwardly and nally to be applied from the end of the brush to the edge of a pie crust 12. The pie crust 12 is carried in a pie pan 14 which in turn is supported by upright elements 16. The elements 16 are carried by a supporting element 18, which in turn is attached to sprocket chaings 88 and 82.

Chains 88 and 82 ride on tracks 84 and 86 supported by L-shaped members 88 and 90, respectively. The L-shaped members 88 and 90 are in turn supported by the frame 92 of the conveyor system.

The amount of water applied to the top of the pie crust i2 is controlled .by the amount of water delivered from chamber 94, as shown in Figure 3. This in turn is governed by the stroke of piston Se and the stroke of piston 96 is governed by the movement of lever arm 29, shown in Figure 1 which is controlled by the setting of the set screw Sil, shown in Figure 2.

The piston 95, shown in Figure 3, is moved by the piston rod I5 which carries an element 93 engageable when moved upwardly with an element and when moved downwardly with an element |62 xed to a valve stem IM. Since the element SS is fixed to the piston rod I6, it will move the valve stem |64 upwardly at one pointin its cycle due to engagement with the elemer'it |03, and` downwardly at another point in its cycle due to engagement with the element HB2.

' shown in Figure 3, the valve stem |04 is provided yat its lower end with a pair of channels or 'passages |96 and |03, When the Valve stem |64 is in its lower position, as shown in Figure 3, the channel IBS will coincide with the opening I I il in the housing I 2 and the upper part of the channel |05 will coincide with thev opening I I4 in the separating wall I I5. At this point there is a'channel or passageway for the water 4 contained' in the large vessel 2 to pass throughthe opening IIS into the passage |08 then into thel passage I' and nally through the opening I-I4= into the piston chamber 94. At the time when this position is just attained, the element 98 is against the top of the element |02- and has reached the bottom of its cycle. At the same time the rod 2Q is at upper dead center ofthe rotating element 2t.

ment 24, causing the arm I2 to move around the fulcrum' land thereby raise the piston rod I6.'

As the piston rod I6 is raised, water is drawn into the chamber $.14y due to the suction. When" the element 38 on the piston rod IS comes into contact with the element I on the valve stemV I IM, it begins to raise the latter and close Athe ports IIand lill. The valve stem |05 conti-nues to Abe raised until'the upper part of the passageway |955*A is opposite the port IIB. At the same time the lower passageway |08 of the valve wi1l be opposite the port |29. As soon as this position is'reached, thearm 2Q has reached lower dead center on the rotating element`24 and the lupward movement or the pistn rod I6 will cease. A' passageway is then provided through the port ||8,"the passage |65, the passage |03- and the port |A to a line |22V connected to the top of the channel or passageway E@ through the hollow shaft 5S.

As the rotation of the member 24 continues, the

shaft 20 again ascends, causing the piston rod |6= to descend Vand thereby force the water out of the chamber S4 through the line I22Vand thev much as the brush *IO is constantly rotated, they water is supplied gradually and uniformly to the top of the pie crust. It will be observed that .the

Thereafter the rod 2|!A begins to' descend due to the continuedV rotation of the ele-f 58 and the movement of the piston S6 are both eiected and synchronized by the rotation of the shaft 38, The synclironism of these elements makes it possible to add just the right amount of water at the proper rate during one complete cycle of the rotating brush lil. At the same time, rotating element 24 with its associated shaft 20 causes the arms I2 and the piston rod IE to move the piston 9S through one compression stroke. By changing the gear ratio of the gears 52 and 56, the rate of rotation of the brush 'Ill may be varied. Thus, in some cases it may be desirable rotation of .the brush 16v-.about theV hollowshaft 75` to have the brush 'IB rotate around the rim of the pie crust four times during one cycle of rotation of the rotary member 2li thereby adding the Water more gradually and permitting the crust to absorb a portion of the water before the addi-v tion of the remainder.

As previously indicated, the amount of water added may be varied merely by loosening the set screw 3! and moving the arm 2.6 in or out of the slot 28 toward or away from the. axis of rotation of the rotary element 24.

The invention is particularly suited for use in conjunction with a conveyor system, a portion of which is shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein pie pans containing the crusts are intermittently advanced beneath the rotating` brush lil, allowed to remain beneath said brush suiflciently long topermit the application of the water andthen conveyed by the conveyor system to another station. The conveyance ofthe pie crust to and from a station beneath the. water applying brush I0 is` preferably synchronized with the movement of the brush 'Iii' so that although` the brush I5V rotates continuously, no` water will be dispensed therefrom until the pie crust is in position thereunder. A preferred method of operation is to synchronize the rotation of the .brush-'Hl with the reciprocation of piston 94 so that theV brush isgoing through twoy complete revolutions while the piston is going through one complete cycle. For example, the brush 'IQ makes one revolution while' the shaft 219y is moving from upper dead center to lower dead center. Duri-ng this time-the water is applied to a pief crust. As-the shaft 2|)f moves mechanism, not shown. However, theconveyorandthe liquid applicator may be driven from different motors. A

It will be understood that certain variations and modications maybe made-in the invention described without departing therefrom,

Having thus describedi.thelinvention, what We claim as new and desire to. secure-by Letters Patent of the United- States. is:

1.` In combination witha-conveyor system forprepar-llga pastry, a device for applyinga,..pre determinedamountof liquid ,to saidv pastry, said device comprising a measuring chamber for said liquid, a movable element for applying the liquid` t0 said pastry, means for owing. the liquid from,

saidnieasuringA chamber to said movable element, control means for controllingtheflow` of saidliquid from said `chamberto said element, a driving mechanism',- means` operatively.v associated.A with said driving mechanism.. for moving said eleasiatici.

ment, and means Voperatively associated'with-said driving mechanismforactuating said control means at predetermined intervals in synchronismv with the movement of said element.

=xz2l In combination with a conveyor` system for preparing pastry prior to baking in which the pastry is'advanced past xed working stations, a device at one of said stations for applying a predetermined amount of liquid to said pastry, said device comprising a measuring chamber for said liquid, inlet means and outlet means in said chamber, a liquid reservoir, a rotatable distributing element for distributing. the liquid to said pastry, a valve connecting said liquid reservoir to said inlet means while closing said outlet means and connecting said outlet means to said distributing element while closing said inlet means, a driving mechanism, means operatively asso-ciated with said driving mechanism for rtating said distributing element, and means operatively associated with said driving-mechanismY for actuating said valve at predetermined intervals in synchronism with the rotationof said distributing element.

3. YIn combination with a conveyor system for preparing a pastry, a `device for applying a predetermined amount of liquid to said pastry, said device comprising a measuring chamber for said liquid, a movable applicator element for applying the liquid to said pastry, means for flowing the liquid from said measuring chamber to said applicator' element, a reciprocating piston in said measuring chamber, a valve controlling the iiow of liquid to said measuring chamber from a reservoir and to said applicator element from said measuring chamber, a driving mechanism, means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for moving said applicator element, means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for reciprocating said piston in synchronism with the movement of said applicator element, and means responsive to the movement of said piston for actuating said valve at predetermined intervals during the movement of said applicator element.

4. In combination with a conveyor system for preparing pies prior to baking in which the pie crust supported by a pie pan is advanced past xed working stations in a step by step movement, a device at one of said stations for applying a predetermined amount of liquid to that portion 0f the pie crust supported by the rim of the pie pan, said device comprising a measuring chamber for said liquid, a rotatable distributing element comprising a brush movable in contact with that portion of the pie crust supported by the rim of the pie pan and in an orbit substantially corresponding to the periphery of the pie crust, a reciprocating piston in said measuring chamber iitting relatively closely to the walls thereof and having a cycle comprising a suction and a compression stroke, a conduit from said measuring chamber to said distributing element, a reservoir surrounding said measuring chamber, a valve controlling the ow of liquid to said measuring chamber from said reservoir and to said distributing element from said measuring chamber, a driving mechanism, means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for rotating said distributing element, means operatively associated With said driving mechanism for reciprocating said piston in synchronism with the rotation of said distributing element, means responsive to the movement of said piston for actuating said valve at predetermined intervals during the rotation of said distributingelement, said means being synchronized to open saidvalve, to permit the -ow of liquid from said reservoir to said measuring chamber during said suction stroke of said piston while simultaneously closing the conduit to said distributing element and to close said valve to said reservoir while opening said conduit during the compression stroke of said piston, and means for successively advancing said pie pans during the suction stroke of said piston.

5. A device, for applying a predetermined amount of liquid to a pastry, said device comprising a measuring chamber for said liquid, a movable element for applying the liquid to said pastry, means for iiowing said liquid from said measuring chamber to said element, control means for controlling the flow of liquid from said chamber to said element, a driving mechanism, means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for moving said element, and means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for actuating said control means at predeterminedl intervals vin synchronism with the movement of said element. i

6. A device for applying a predetermined amount of liquid to a pastry, said device comprising a measuring chamber for said liquid,` inlet means and outlet means in said chamber, a rotatable distributing element for distributing the liquid to said pastry, a conduit between said outlet means and said distributing element, a driving mechanism, means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for rotating said distributing element, and means responsive to said driving mechanism for connecting said inlet means of sai-d measuring chamber to a source of liquid while simultaneously closing said outlet means and for opening said outlet means at predetermined intervals in synchronism with the rotation of said distributing element.

7. A device for wetting the peripheral edges of a pie crust, said device comprising a measuring chamber for a wetting liquid, a movable applicator element for applying the wetting liquid to the pie crust, said applicator element being adapted to move in a predetermined pathl conforming to the periphery of the pie crust, a reciprocating piston in said measuring chamber, a valve controlling the ilow of liquid to said measuring chamber from a reservoir and to said applicator element from said measuring chamber, a driving mechanism, means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for moving said applicator element around the periphery of the pie, means operatively associated with said driving mechanism for reciprocating said piston in synchronism with the movement of said applicator element, and means responsive to the movement of said pist-on for actuating said valve at predetermined intervals during the movement of said applicator element.

8. A -device for wetting the peripheral edges of pie crusts, said device comprising a measuring chamber for a wetting liquid, a rotatable distributing element comprising a brush movable in contact with the periphery of the pie crust, a reciprocating piston in said measuring chamber tting closely to the walls thereof .and having a cycle comprising a suction and a compression stroke, a conduit from said measuring chamber to said distributing element, a reservoir surrounding said measuring chamber, a valve controlling the flow of liquid to said measuring chamber from said reservoir and to said distributing element from said measuring chamber, a driving mech- Y duit to 'said distributing element and to 'close said valve into said reservoir While opening said conduit during the compression' stroke of said piston.

9. In the art of making pastries, the method of 'applying a predetermined amount of liquid to a pastry which comprises advancing th pastry in 'a istep by step i'rioveiient to a Xd Working station, meas/'tiring a. predetermined amount of liquid to be applied to the pastry, 'applying said measured amount of liquid to the p'a'stry at said fixed station, and synchronizing the advancenient of the pastry with the measurement of the liquid.

10. In the art of making pastries, the method l11. In the art of making pies, the steps which comprise advancing successive pie p'ans carrying an unbaked pie dough in a step by step move'- nient past a fiXed Working station, Continuously rotating' a liquid applicator'in a fixed path corresponding to the periphery of the pie dough at lsaid xed station, alternately measuring and supplying to' said applicator a predetermined amount of liquid, 'and synchronizing said Ineas-Y ui'ement and application of liquid With the step by Step advancement of said pie dou'ghs` wheneby 'said liquid is supplied to said applicator only Whn a pie dough is in Contact therewith: and said liquid is measured only during the step by step advancement. Y LLOYD J. HARRISS.

BERNARD LAMBERS. 

